Mechanism for regulating pile warp tension in looms



MECHANISM FOR REGULATING FILE WARP TENSION IN LOOMS Filed Jan. 26, 1966 J. P. ERKES Dec. 26, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR (/0560ifif7i5 BY v ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1967 J. P. ERKES 3,360,012

MECHANISM FOR REGULATING FILE WARP TENSION IN LOOMS Filed Jan. 26, 1966 v 5 Sheis-Sheet 2 I INVENT OR ATTORNEY J. P. ERKES Dec. 26, 1967 MECHANISM FOR REGULATING FILE WARP TENSION IN LOOMS Filed Jan. 26, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR das'ga fi [7%{45' v g. V 7% 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,360,012 MECHANISM FOR REGULATING PILE WARP TENSION IN LOOMS Joseph P. Erkes, 907 Charlotte Ave., Rock Hill, S.C. 29730 Filed Jan. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 523,193 Claims. (Cl. 139-102) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates in general to apparatus for v/eaving pile fabrics and more particularly to an improved 1means for regulating the tension on pile warps in a Much difficulty is experienced in the weaving of pile fabrics in accurately controlling the tension of the individual pile warps as they are fed into the loom from individual yarn packages on the creel. It has been customary to suspend weights on the individual yarn packages in an attempt to control the yarn tension as it is unwound during the pile weaving operation. This has not been entirely successful and the tension usually varies between individual packages and this in turn results in the hanging of individual pile warp ends and the consequent failure of these ends to move completely to their proper high or low positions relative to the base fabric. As a result of this, the loom shuttle skips over or under certain pile warp ends and weaving flaws result. If too many ends hang" or fail to reach their proper elevations in the fabric, the shuttle may actually be blocked in the shed and prevented from reaching the opposite shuttle box, in which case, the loom automatically slams off to prevent damage to the reed and other parts of the loom.

According to the present invention, the above difiiculties are completely overcome and the problem of applying controlled tension to the pile warps is solved by the provision of a simplified attachment on the loom under the direct control of the Jacquard mechanism positioned immediately over the loom. The invention attachment is direct-acting and operates directly on pile warps at the instant when they should be tensioned or relieved of slack and when they should be released from outside tension. The result is a pile fabric which is woven with uniformity and whose pile heightis completely even and smooth.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a partly diagrammatic side elevational view of a pile warp tension control apparatus embodying the invention and illustrating the same in an inactive or release position on a loom;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the invention with the same in the active position for taking up slack in the pile warps while simultaneously holding or locking the warps for a brief interval;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line I 3,360,012 Patented Dec. 26, 1967 FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing a different relative position between a rocker shaft and parts mounted thereon;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of pulley means forming a part of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on line 88 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view of pile fabric woven with uniformity in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 20 designates a rocker shaft extending horizontally and transversely of the loom, at right angles to the warp yarns. The rocker shaft 20 is journaled within suitable spaced bearings 21 rigidly secured to a mounting plate 22, in turn rigidly mounted upon a portion of the loom frame 23 which is indicated in broken lines throughout the drawings.

The rocker shaft 20 has a single arm or crank 24 rigidly secured thereto by welding or the like and extending rearwardly thereof as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The arm 24 is pivotally connected as at 25 to a vertically moving shaft or link 26 connected with and operated by the well-known Jacquard mechanism or head 27, for example, of the type shown in United States Patent 1,83 8,- 048 to Ambler. The construction and operation of the Jacquard mechanism is conventional and well-known and need not be described in detail herein. Also operated by the Jacquard mechanism 27 is a pile Leno heddle 28, connected with the Jacquard mechanism by the usual suspension means 29 engaging through fixed guides 30, as shown. The heddles and associated elements for the weaving of the ground fabric have been omitted from the drawings for simplification and to show more clearly the invention mechanism. The lay of the loom is indicated at 31 in FIGURES 1 and 2 and the pile-forming wires. or gages are indicated generally at 32.

Considerably forwardly of the rocker shaft 20 and also fixedly mounted upon the loom frame at anelevation above the warps is a support bar 33-for a pair of widely spaced pulley support arms 34. The arms 34 have heads 35 which are rigidly and adjustably clamped to the support bar 33 in properly spaced relation so that the arms 34 project forwardly and upwardly as depicted in FIG- URES 1 and 2. Each arm 34 supports a pair of spaced guide pulleys 36 and 37, over which are trained pairs of control cables 38 and 39 near opposite ends of the bar 33, as shown in FIGURE 8.

The rearward end of each cable 38 is attached at 38' to an upstanding crank 40 on the rocker shaft 20 near each end of the same, these cranks being rigidly secured to the rocker shaft by welding or the like.

The other cables 39 extend rearwardly in generally parallel relation to the cables 38 and have their rearward ends connected at 41 to lost motion cranks 42 having hubs or rings 43 which are freely rotatable on the rocker shaft 20 but held against axial displacement by fixed collars 44 on the rocker shaft. The arrangement is such that a pair of cranks 40 and 42 and a pair of the control cables 38 and 39 is arranged near each end of the rocker shaft 20, FIGURE 3. Whenever the rocker shaft is turned in either direction upon its axis of rotation by the link 26 and single crank 24, the two arms or cranks 40 are also moved through an arc. However, because of the rotary connection between the cranks 42 and rocker shaft 20, a certain degree of dwell or lost motion may be present in the cranks 42 before they are caused to move by turning of the rocker shaft 20. The extent of this lost motion is limited by stop bars 45 which are rigidly mounted upon the fixed collars 44 and extend across or transversely of the cranks 42, as shown in the drawings. The stop bars 45 turn with the rocker shaft 20 whenever the latter is turned and consequently movement of the stop bars 45 in one direction as depicted in FIGURE 5 will bring them into contact with the crank 42 so as to cause these cranks to move with the rocker shaft 20. Prior to engagement of the cranks 42 by the stop bars 45, the former may be held against movement by the cables 39, while the cranks 40 must begin moving instantly whenever the rocker shaft is turned in either direction. The stop bars 45 are spaced ciroumferentially on the rocker shaft 20 from the fixed cranks 40, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Below the guide pulleys 36 and 37 and at the elevation of the pile warps 46, a pair of laterally spaced parallel horizontal fixed bars 47 and 48 are rigidly mounted upon bracket means 49, attached firmly to the loom frame 23. The fixed bars 47 and 48 are preferably rectangular in cross section and have broad fiat faces, as shown in FIG- URE 9. They may be conveniently formed of heavy rectangular metal tubing.

Coacting clamp or pressure bar 50 is suspended near its opposite ends by I-bolts 51 or the like from the lower ends of the two control cables 39. The upper face of the fixed bar 48 and the lower fiat face of clamp bar 50 are covered by sections 52 of rubber or like material for frictional gripping engagement with the pile warps 46 during operation of the invention. The clamp bar 50 is also rectangular in cross section, as shown, and preferably of the same width as the underlying fixed bar 48 so that the fiat opposed faces of the two bars may at the proper time firmly grip and hold the pile warps 46, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9.

Suspended from the other pair of cables 38 by I-bolts 53 or the like is a heavy rectangular tubular tensioning bar 54 or pile warp slack remover. The tensioning bar 54 is disposed immediately behind the clamp bar 50 and parallel thereto and inbetweenthe two fixed bars 47 and 48, as best shown in FIGURE 9. Preferably, a cylindrical tube section 55 is welded centrally to the bottom of the tensioning bar 54 to directly engage the pile warps 46 in the manner shown when the tensioning bar is lowered.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The loom is entirely conventional for the weaving of a ground fabric consisting of warps '56 and filling yarns 57, as shown in FIGURE 10. Simultaneously, the pile warps 46 to become the elevated pile on the finished fabric in FIGURE are drawn from conventional individual package sources shown diagrammatically at 58 in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 1 shows the condition during weaving where the heddle 28 is in the down or shedding position and the lay 31 is in the back position permitting the shuttle to pass through the shed and travel to the opposite shuttle box, thus interlacing the filling, ground warp 56 and pile warp 46. At this time, FIGURE 1, the pile warp 46 is under tension in the loom and both the clamp bar 50 and tensioning bar 54 are elevated and free from contact with the pile warp.

Immediately following this, FIGURE 2, the lay 31 moves forwardly to the fell of the cloth and the heddle 28 rises to the high position under influence of the lacquard mechanism. At this time, the pile warps 46 are slack or free of tension. Also at this time, the link 26 is elevated and the crank 26 turns rocker shaft clockwise, FIGURE 4, causing both bars 50 and 54 to descend toward the fixed bars 47 and 48. The stop bars 45 are in contact with the cranks 42 and the weight of bar 50 through cables 39 causes the cranks 42 to turn in unison with the rigid cranks 40 in the downward or clockwise direction.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the clamp bar 50 is closer to the warps '46 than tensioning bar 54 and therefore engages the warps 46 and frictionally clamps them to fixed bar 48 prior to engagement of the tensioning bar 54 with the warps. However, immediately following contact of clamp bar 50 with the pile warps, the tensioning bar 54 engages the warps, FIGURE 9, in between the fixed bars 47 and 48 to remove any slack in the pile warps forwardly of the invention mechanism. While the slack is being taken up by the tensioning bar 54, the clamping engagement of the bars 48 and 50 with the warps 46 prevent any forward slippage thereof.

Following the condition shown in FIGURES 2 and 9, the parts begin to turn to their relative positions of FIGURE 1. The heddle 28 begins to descend as does the link 26, thus lowering the single crank 24 and thereby turning the rocker shaft 20 in the counter-clockwise direction shown in FIGURE 5. When this occurs, the cranks 40 which must turn with the rocker shaft 20 immediately begin lifting the cables 38 and the tensioning bar 54 away from the pile warps 46. Initially, the stop bars 45 are spaced from the turnable cranks 42, and on the initial elevation of the tensioning bar 54, the clamping bar 50 may remain down in holding engagement with the warps 46. However, as soon as the stop bars 45 return into engagement with the cranks 42, these cranks will also begin to move in the counter-clockwise direction and through the cables 39 will lift the clamping bar 50 free of the warps 46 and return the two bars 50 and 54 to their relative positions shown in FIGURE 1.

As previously explained, there is a lost motion be tween the rocker shaft 20 and the parts rigidly attached to it and the relatively free turning cranks 42. This lost motion is necessary to enable the relative movements of the bars 50 and 54 between their extreme positions shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. That is to say, the bar 50 must first clamp and hold the pile warps and the bar 54 must be able to continue its descent after the clamping action to the slack-removing position of FIGURE 2. On reverse movement, the bar 54 will first elevate and after a certain travel, the stop bars 45 will pick up the cranks 42 and cause them and their cables 39 to lift the clamping bar 50. When the link 26 is fully down, FIGURE 1, both bars 50 and 54 are above the warps 46 with the bar 54 at a slightly higher elevation.

As described, the movements of the clamping and tensioning bars 50 and 54 are directly controlled and governed by the Jacquard mechanism 27. Upon each pick or revolution of the loom, the link 26 of the Jacquard mechanism cycles from the bottom position, FIGURE 1, to the top position, FIGURE 2, and back down to the bottom or starting position. This cycle gives one high and one low position for each pick or traverse of the shuttle from one side of the loom to the other.

The invention results in an even tension on all of the pile warps at the required time to remove slack therefrom while heddle 28 is up. The warps are free from tensioning while the heddle 28 is down and the pile warps are being pulled or tensioned at the shedding posltion. In other words, the invention supplies tension to these warps in a controlled manner only at the required time when they might become hung or fail to move completely to their proper high or low positions, as previously discussed. As shown graphically in FIG- URE 10, the invention aids the entire loom in weavmg pile loops into the fabric with uniformity of height and accuracy.

In some instances, the mechanism may be operated with the parts reversed from their relative positions shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. That is to say, in these instances, the pile warp tension control elements 50 and 54 may be rendered active as now shown in FIGURE 2 while the heddle 28 is in the down position instead of in the up position. It is intended to cover both possibilities in the present application.

Additionally, it is believed that the invention may be utilized in a system for producing high and low pile loops on the ground fabric by employing the pile warp tensioning mechanism shown herein in conjunction with stepped or tapered pile wires or gages, not shown. Such a gage having a relatively long taper or gradual taper is shown in my prior Patent 3,199,542, issued Aug. 10, 1965. The pile loops being formed may be caused to slide on the gradually tapered or inclined portion of the gages to vary the pile height asthe pile warp tension is controlled. This is an optional feature which may be employed with the invention mechanism herein or may be omitted if preferred.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a loom for weaving pile fabric, pile warp feed means, a pile warp heddle, a Jacquard mechanism on the loom operatively connected with said heddle and having a reciprocating part, and a two component tension and control mechanism for the pile warp on said loom connected with and operated by movement of the reciprocating part, the first component of the two component mechanism initially engaging and clamping the pile warp to prevent linear movement thereof and the second component then engaging the pile warp to tension the same when the heddle is elevated and the pile warp is tending to be slack, both of said components disengaging the pile warp and releasing the same when said heddle is down to form the shed and the pile warp is taut.

2. In a loom for weaving pile fabric, pile warp feed means, a pile warp heddle, a Jacquard mechanism on the loom operatively connected with said heddle and having a reciprocating part, and pile warp tension and control means on said loom connected with and operated by said reciprocating part to engage the pile Warp and tension it when the heddle is elevated and disengaging the pile warp when the heddle is down, said tension and control means comprising a rocker shaft on said loom, a crank on the rocker shaft connected with the reciprocating part, a first control cable means connected with the rocker shaft, an elevatable clamp bar carried by said first control cable means and adapted to be raised and lowered relative to the pile warp, a fixed bar beneath said clamp bar and underlying the pile warp so that the warp may be clamped between the fixed bar and clamp bar when the rocker shaft is turned in one direction, a second cable means connected with the rocker shaft, and a tensioning bar suspended from the second cable means above the pile warp and adapted to be lowered into tensioning engagement with the pile warp by turning of the rocker shaft in one direction while the pile warp is clamped by the fixed bar and clamp bar.

3. In a loom for weaving pile fabric as defined by claim 2, and a lost motion connection between the rocker shaft and second cable means, whereby relative movement between the clamp and tensioning bars may occur during turning of the rocker shaft in one direction.

4. In a pile fabric weaving loom, pile warp feeding means, a pile manipulating heddle, and a control mechanism for said heddle having a reciprocating part, a rocker shaft on the loom including a crank connected with said reciprocating part, a pair of rigid cranks on said rocker shaft, a pair of lost motion cranks on said rocker shaft spaced from said rigid cranks, guide pulley means on the loom spaced forwardly of the rocker shaft, a first pair of cables engaging the guide pulley means and having corresponding ends connected with the rigid cranks, a second pair of cables engaging the guide pulley means and connected with the lost motion cranks, a warp pile clamp bar suspended from the second pair of cables and disposed above the pile warps, a pile warp tensioning bar suspended from the first pair of cables above the pile warps, and a 6 pair of fixed bars on the loom immediately beneath the pile warps, one fixed bar in vertically opposed relationship to said clamp bar and said fixed bars being spaced apart and on opposite sides of said tensioning bar so that the latter may enter between the fixed bars.

5. In a pile fabric weaving loom as defined by claim 4, and wherein said clamp bar and the fixed bar beneath it have opposed faces which are flat, and sections of rubberlike material covering said faces for resilient gripping engagement with the pile warps.

6'. In a pile fabric weaving loom as defined by claim 4, and wherein said lost motion cranks include crank arms which are rotatably mounted upon the rocker shaft, fixed collars on the rocker shaft on opposite sides of the crank arms to prevent lateral displacement of the crank arms, and stop plates rigid with said collars and extending transversely of the crank arms, whereby movement of the stop plates with the rocker shaft can cause a delayed movement of said crank arms in one direction.

7. A pile warp tension regulating attachment for looms comprising a rocker shaft adapted to be mounted upon a loom transversely of the direction of movement of the pile warps and above the pile warps, a single crank on the rocker shaft adapted to be connected with a recipro cating control member on the loom, a pair of spaced fixed bars on the loom immediately beneath the pile warps having top faces substantially contacting the warps and extending transversely of the warps, guide pulley means adapted to be mounted on the loom above said fixed bars and warps, first and second control cable means engaging the guide pulley means, a pile warp clamp bar bodily carried by and suspended from the first control cable means above the pile warps and being in vertically opposed relation to one of said fixed bars, a pile warp tensioning bar bodily carried by and suspended from the second control cable means above the pile warps and in between said spaced fixed bars, lost motion crank means interconnecting the first control cable means and rocker shaft, and rigid crank means on the rocker shaft interconnecting the same with the second control cable means, whereby turning of the rocker shaft may cause direct movement of the pile warp tensioning bar and delayed movement of the pile warp clamp bar during elevation of said bar.

8. A pile warp tension regulating attachment for looms as defined by claim 7, and wherein said guide pulley means comprises a support member adapted to be fixed to said loom, a pair of spaced support arms on said member, and a pair of spaced pulleys rotatably mounted on each support arm, said first and second control cable means comprising a pair of control cables each engageable with one .pulley on one support arm.

9. A pile warp tension regulating attachment for looms as defined by claim 7, and wherein said clamp bar and opposing fixed bar have flat opposing faces on opposite sides of the pile warps for gripping the warps, and a rounded projection on the bottom face of said tensioning bar extending longitudinally of the tensioning bar for direct engagement with the pile warps for tensioning them and pulling the warps downwardly in between the spaced fixed bars while they are being gripped and held by the clamping bar and adjacent fixed bar.

10. A pile warp tension regulating attachment for looms comprising a rocker shaft adapted to be mounted upon a loom transversely of the pile warps and adapted for connection with a reciprocating control member on the loom, guide pulley means adapted for mounting on the loom in spaced relation to the rocker shaft, spaced fixed bars adapted for mounting on the loom immediately 0 beneath the pile warps, first and second control cable means engaging the guide pulley means, a warp clamp bar freely suspended from the first cable means above the warps and above one of the fixed bars, a warp tensioning bar freely suspended from the second cable means above the warps and between the spaced fixed bars, rigid 8 crank means on the rocker shaft connected with the sec- References Cited 0nd cable means whereby turning of the rocker shaft in UNITED STATES PATENTS either direction on its axis will cause displacement of the 294 965 3/1884 Charcot 139 1 02 second cable means and tensioning bar, and lost motion 748084 12/1903 Leronx 139 1 ()2 crank means on the rocker shaft connected with the first 5 2,678,068 5/1954 Maclntyre cable means, said lost motion crank means including a crank arm rotatable upon the rocker shaft, and a fixed FOREIGN PATENTS stop element on the rocker shaft spaced circumferentially 603,793 1/1926 France.

thereon from the rigid crank means and adapted during turning of the rocker shaft in one direction to cause de- 10 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examinerlayed turning of the lost motion crank means. J KEE 1 Assistant g 

1. IN A LOOM FOR WEAVING PILE FABRIC, PILE WARP FEED MEANS, A PILE WRAP HEDDLE, A JACQUARD MECHANISM ON THE LOOM OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID HEDDLE AND HAVING A RECIPROCATING PART, AND A TWO COMPONENT TENSION AND CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE PILE WRAP ON SAID LOOM CONNECTED WITH AND OPERATED BY MOVEMENT OF THE RECIPROCATING PART, FIRST COMPONENT OF THE TWO COMPONENT MECHANISM INITIALLY ENGAGING AND CLAMPING THE PILE WRAP 